Page 20 of The Paranormal Investigation Bureau
It was creeping me out, because I thought I’d put this to rest at lunch.
“I thought you wanted me partnering with Bevan?” I asked.
“I do. I adore that boy. Nicolai is unique, too, and he’s serious about his career. He’s here early, every day, and I try to help him as much as I help Bevan. Nicolai and Bevan both have different strengths. They miscast Bevan for years playing drag roles. He’s perfect as a hotheaded warrior. Bevan is pure power on stage.
“If we need a romantic role, that’s when Nicolai is cast. Marsden is good at what he does, and he finally came to his senses about Bevan and cast him as a lead in this ballet. Bevan and Nicolai both know I mentor the other. They know their strengths. Even Bevan would tell you he’d never be asked to do Hades.”
“I get that,” I said. “I’m just not sure why you want me to dance his Persephone.”
“Because, eventually, Bellatrix is going to realize she’s past her prime, thenThe Pis going to need a new star. She might think it’s owed to her, but it’s not going to be Ivory. Even Marsden knows that.”
I needed her help, but not like this. It meant a lot to me that she thought I had that kind of potential. It wasn’t going to matter if I didn’t get the information she knew. I told Kaine I was going to try, and I meant it. I wasn’t joking when I told Kaine Marsden might blackball me if all his dancers died. I really wasn’t joking. It was time for some honesty.
“Can I talk to you for a minute… in private?” I asked. “It’s nothing personal, Nicolai.”
He scowled at me like he thought it was. I knew that look, he thought I had a stick up my ass and had refused the duet with him because I thought I was too good for him. I needed to smooth things over because I didn’t need any more enemies in this ballet company!
“We’ll do the duet in a minute, and I’ll give it my all. I swear. I just need to speak to Madame Lucinda alone for a minute.”
Nicolai looked furious, but he also looked like I’d hurt his feelings. I didn’t get it. It was just apas de deuxbefore class! Marsden wasn’t even going to see it. He stomped out of the room. I pulled Madame Lucinda all the way to the corner, even if there was only a slim chance anyone would hear us, I couldn't afford to risk it.
“Madame Lucinda, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate what you are trying to do for me, but look, I didn’t just come here to dance. Marsden brought me in because there’s something wrong withThe Sugar Skull Girl.All I know is that it’s been attempted several times and is always canceled, because people die.
“Marsden is not giving me the full story. I can’t do my job without it. I liked Bevan, and I loved dancing with him. You were so right to partner us up. He could die if I don’t have all the facts. A lot of people might.”
“I see, so tell me, are you intending on staying with us if we successfully pull it off this time?”
“I don’t know. Fate had a pretty big opinion about me attending the academy here, it’s probably why I’m here now.”
“Oh! You witches and your belief in fate! Maybe fate brought you here, but your talent could make you a star. I’ll make you a deal, Beyla.”
Everyone wanted to cut deals with me lately. Madame Lucinda had me by my nonexistent balls. Surely, she wasn’t crazy enough to risk her dancer’s lives by withholding information because she wanted something from me, right?
“I don’t think I have a choice.”
“Yes, you do. You have a lot of potential, my dear. You and Bevan are magic together, and I suspect you’d dance just as well with Nicolai too. Bevan wasn’t looking when I asked you to stay after class, but Nicolai has been desperate to find the perfect partner. I suspect you’d show off Merlin and Arden’s strengths too. There is limited information I can give you about that ballet unfortunately. I was an apprentice the first time they attempted it, one of the few that survived. I’m magically unable to discuss that particular ballet because it was that bad. Even now,The Pdoesn’t need that kind of publicity… I will tell you what I can, but I want you to keep an open mind about staying, I want to mentor you. You impressed me in your first class. I’m not certain that whatever is wrong withThe Sugar Skull Girlcan be fixed. They have brought in many people over the years to try, all of whom were unsuccessful. Even if the ballet gets canceled, I want you to sincerely think about staying here and dancing with us, long-term. Do that, and I’ll tell you what little I can.”
“Marsden isn’t going to keep me here if I fail.”
“I’ve known Marsden longer than anyone in this company. I’m not saying he doesn’t have his faults, but he has a keen eye for talent. Sometimes he takes longer than necessary to recognize it, like with Bevan, but he’s good at his job. Even if the ballet is canceled, he’ll beg you to stay.”
“I don’t get that vibe from him… and I need to do damage control with Nicolai and do that duet with him. I’ll do my best, and it means a lot that you want to mentor me, so okay… deal, and I’ll give it my consideration. So, I still have time to dance with Nicolai, what can you tell me?”
“A lot of what happened was covered up, but there was a lot that is still public record. You need to look at these names… Santiago Suarez, Selena Whitmore, Tabitha Rex, Dashiell Moriarty, Freeman Rex, and Ballard Calarook.”
I didn’t ask for more information, just filed those names away in my memory bank for later. I had a feeling if she could tell me more, she would. She might be intimidating in class, but now that I’d gotten her alone a few times, I knew she had a vested interest in keeping her dancers alive, even if I thought Marsden was insane for even attempting it.
I wouldn’t say I liked anything about how Nicolai was looking at me when Madame Lucinda asked for that particularpas de deux.Still,he also looked seriously hurt when he thought I’d asked to talk to Madame Lucinda in private because he thought I didn’t want to do this dance with him.
I didn’t trust him nearly enough to do lifts with him, but he was one of the few people in this company I hadn’t made an enemy of yet.
I needed to make things right with him by doing this dance with him. Then, I’d be pulling him aside for our own private conversation… I’d tell him that if heeverlooked at me like that again, I’d kick his ass all over the dance studio.
Chapter18
Nicolai
What was this new girl’s deal? She’d made it clear that she didn’t like us hitting on her at lunch, and Bevan had asked us to back off. Bro code was sacred, so Merlin and I called off any bets and left her alone as soon as he asked. Fuck, since she was present when he asked us, we would have done it as soon as she told us to knock it off.
